LRC withdraws Equality Court challenge against SANDF
The Legal Resources Centre has filed a Notice of Withdrawal in the Equality Court in the Isaacs v Minister of Defence and Military Veterans matter.
In 2019 the LRC took on the case of Major Fatima Isaacs, a Muslim woman serving in the South African National Defence Force. Major Isaacs wears a headscarf under her military beret and in June 2018, was informed that her wearing of a headscarf was not in compliance with the Military Religious Dress Policy and as such, she would have to remove her headscarf.
Major lsaacs refused to comply and was subsequently charged with three counts of contravening section 19(1) of the Military Discipline Code: disobeying lawful commands or orders and given a final warning.
Groundbreaking headscarf victory for Muslim women in SANDF
By Nicola Daniels, Siphokazi Vuso
Jan 28, 2021
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Cape Town – In a groundbreaking decision, the South African Defence Force (SANDF) has amended its military religious dress policy to accommodate the wearing of a headscarf with military uniform.
This followed the three-year- battle of Major Fatima Isaacs, a Muslim woman who wore a headscarf covering her hair and head under her military beret in accordance with her religious beliefs since she officially joined the force in February 2010.
In June 2018, she was instructed that the wearing of the headscarf was contrary to the SANDF dress policy instruction amendment number 5: Wearing of Religious and Medical Adornments by SANDF Members in Uniform (2002) (Religious Dress Policy).